A spectacular show starring iconic British musicians has marked the end of the XXX Summer Games in London. The Olympic flame has been extinguished and the Olympic flag has been handed to the next host Rio de Janeiro.
"These were happy and glorious Games. The legacy of the Games of the 30th Olympiad will become clear in many ways,” said International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge declaring the Games closed on Sunday night.Addressing the athletes Rogge said, "Through your commitment to fair play, your respect for opponents, and your grace in defeat as well as in victory, you have earned the right to be called Olympians."London Mayor Boris Johnson handed the Olympic flag to the IOC president, who then presented it to Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, which will host the next Summer Games in 2016.An eight-minute segment of the ceremony dedicated to Rio brought in a carnival atmosphere celebrating Rio's mix of cultures, music and dance. The flag handover was followed by the traditional march of athletes, with about 10,800 Olympians walking in to the stadium as one rather than with their nations, symbolizing the harmony and friendship inspired by the games.Some 80,000 spectators filled the Olympic Stadium to see the three-hour exuberant ceremony featuring The Spice Girls, Muse, George Michael, Brazilian football legend Pele and a cast of more than 4,000.Liam Gallagher performed "Wonderwall," a 1990s hit by his former band, Oasis. Muse rocked the house with the hard-edged Olympic anthem "Survival." As well, Queen guitarist Brian May was joined by singer Jessie J for a crowd-pleasing "We Will Rock You."The ceremony ended with the extinguishing of the Olympic flame and the 204 petals of the Olympic cauldron descending to ground level.